Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-03-02

other OF the departments. Fifty-three thou-
sand offices depend upon the judgment of the
postmaster general and his assistants for the
appointment of good officials. The appoint
Ing Of this great host Of postmasrers has
always cut q large figure In the politics of the
country, and it has been an important mat
In every administration that In the selection
of the postmaster general not only admins
trative ability, but some sense of the political
needs of the party in power b considered.
postmaster general appoints presidential
postmasters. His first assistant appoints the
fourth class postmasters, who number some
thing like $4,000. Most of the work of Sc
lection in this great branch of the appointing
division in this department. is under the
charge of Mr.. Edwin Fowler, who has been
in the department. fifteen years. Few men
have established for themselves such a record
G: judicious, discreet. confidential service as
he has in this time. His predecessor in the
main work of selecting this great number of
small officials, Mr.. MARI, now chief clerk in
the first assistant postmaster generals office,
has been i'll the department fifty years. He
now retains his place, although incapacitated
by old age from rendering active service. No
one of the thousands of clerks is more regu-
larly at his desk than Mr.. Mari. Mr.. Fowler
appoints annually between 5000 and 10000
postmasters, a larger number than any one
mar has to do with. 1t reflects great credit
upon him that his work provokes so little
criticism, seeing that it deals with small com
munities where petty jealousies and rivalries
so often cut a figure in the selection Of the
postmaster.
A great many curious things happen in the
correspondence which comes before the APP
pointment clerk. An applicant for an inn
portant office under the secretary Of the in
terror wrote a letter to the president after the
place had been filed by the appointment Of
another applicant, expressing the hope that
something less important might be given
him. In his letter occurred the following
sentence: II shall live in hops althow l di in
Sdespare.n One of the antiques in the interior
department records is a letter written by a
citizen of Missouri to the Hon. Thomas Ew-
ing, in September, 1s49, applying for an
office. 1t is one of the most curious letters
probably that was ever written. There is 40
evidence in the records of the departments
that the applicant ever received an appoint
mens. 1t is as follows:
DEAR SIR-This is to inform you, and through
you to inform the president, that I am willing to
accept of an office under his administration pro-
vided it pays well; but / have very little expecta-
ton Of getting one.
i consider myself qualified to fill almost any Of
flee; but there are hundreds CT others who are as
well qualified as I am. and perhaps better.
/ consider myself an honest man; but there are
thousands of others equally honest.
am a political friend of the PRESIDENT; but
that is no good reason why I should receive an
appointment.
1 am a stranger to fame and fortune; but that
Is no good reason why / should not receive one.
/ should, Of course, like the best office; but
sbeggars must not be choosers."
1 should like to have an office near home; but I
do not wish any honest and capable officer turned
out to make room for me, who am untried.
am a poor man; but / do not wish to plead
poverty.
am a farmer; but that argues nothing for or
against me.
Tam also a surveyor; but there may be q great
many better ones.
/ am a self taught man; but have much yet to
learn.
I have the reputation of a great mathematician
but I do not wish to boast of it,
! have q small family; but everybody else
either has, or wishes to have.
Ihaye lived several years in Missouri; but / am
yet unknown to. fame.
fhave sought office, it is true; but have seldom
been successful.
Iseeis great many offices bestowed at Wash.
ington city, either with or without merit; but
noue have fallen TO my share.
This looks somewhat strange; but how could It
be otherwise2
The great probability is that I never win obtain
one; but who knowsf
You may perhaps think I am testing with you
in thus applying for Office; but j assure you i am
In earnest.
You may accuse me, too, Of egotism and AFRO.
gance In thus addressing you; but how can I ex.
pect an Office unless I ask for ftY
You may perhaps wish to have my character
before appointing me to Office; but indeed ]
would not exchange my character for any ONCE
whatever.
! could perhaps get a good recommendation
from my neighbors; but / do not wish to ask
them to tell a lie for me.
IL - wish . reference to some person high in
office, / will refer you to the Hon. John F. Ry.
land, OF our supreme court; but he knows very
little, IL anything, about me.
II you can do nothing for me In the way Of
office, please write and say so; but make no apol-
ogies.
shall await anxfously q reply to this letter;
but shall be agreeably disappointed Il I get one.
Ny address is Pleasant Hill postoflce, Cass
talias Van BUREN, county, Mo-; but what of thatY
In looking over this communication I see as
many personal pronouns as IL it had been written
by Col. Benton himself; but i assure you 1t was
not.
! could write more; but / fear IL would be vast
Ing time to no purpose.
No more; but remain yours, ETC.,
Sept. 10, 1849. MARTIN ScoTr.
To tho Hon. Thomas Ewing.